5 Best Places to Visit in Sweden

Sweden is one gorgeous Scandinavian country, definitely worth visiting. There are gorgeous cities full of colorful wooden buildings, traditional huts, stone fortresses and cathedrals, and impressive contemporary architecture all around the country. If you’re considering to visit the land of IKEA, Saab, Volvo, and ABBA, keep reading — here is the list of 5 best places to visit in Sweden.

Stockholm

Set on 14 islands and with many bridges, Stockholm is often referred to as Venice of the North, but it has a completely different vibe for sure. We’ve been totally impressed with its charming medieval streets, colorful old buildings, and waterfront different from any other that we’ve ever seen. You must explore its Old Town called Gamla Stan, it is spread on three islands and one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe. It’s so much different than any other old town that we’ve visited, and so picturesque too.

Are you seeking a great cultural experience? Visit some of the city’s amazing museums, such as the Nordic Museum, where you’ll learn about the Swedish history, or the Vasa Museum dedicated to Vasa – the old wooden warship built in the 17th century that sunk on her maiden voyage (a first sail).

If you’d like to relax by the water, visit Strandvägen – gorgeous boulevard set right by the water or go for a canal trip – it’s a unique way to explore the city.

To read more about Stockholm, check out our previous blog post: “Top 10 Things to Do in Stockholm: Explore the Venice of the North“

Stockholm

Malmö

Malmö is another amazing Swedish coastal city, but it often gets overlooked for Stockholm or Gothenburg. With its trendy restaurants on every corner and a hipster vibe with a real Sweden feel, it’s one of the most interesting places in this Scandinavian country. If you want to explore Sweden, but want to avoid the crowd that you run into in Stockholm, then Malmö is the perfect place for you.

Besides the awesome places you’ll just stumble upon, there are some historical spots in Malmö that you must see. One of such places is definitely Malmö City Hall — a gorgeous historical building, dating back to the 16th century. While you’re there, explore the rest of the square where it’s located — The Stortorget, the main city square, that is lined with a lot of beautiful buildings. Also, you must see Malmöhus Castle and the Kungsparken that surrounds it, as well as the oldest public park in the world, called Folkets Park — you’ll see a large green area with ponds, as well as some entertaining rides and flea market.

Malmö – The Town Hall

Gothenburg

Gothenburg – the second largest city in Sweden and Scandinavia’s biggest seaport is usually known as a university town and it is not that well-known outside the country. But anyone who visited it knows that it is so much more than that. It is a vibrant city with many interesting festivals and a lot of things to do no matter when you visit it.

This city is dotted with green areas, there are all kinds of parks, and many of them date back to the 19th century. Explore the Gothenburg Botanical Garden—one of Europe’s largest, visit the Volvo Museum and have fun at Liseberg Amusement Park that is an old-school amusement park opened in 1923. Visit Haga, the neighborhood known for its picturesque wooden houses, and try a haga bulle, a delicious large cinnamon roll If you are visiting around Christmas time you will be impressed with its Christmas market, that we mentioned in one of our blog posts.

Gothenburg
(cc) Tony Webster / CC BY-SA 2.0

Swedish Lapland

Swedish Lapland is located in the far north above the Arctic Circle and is inhabited by the hardy, indigenous Sami. If you’re more of a nature lover than you love to explore urban areas, one of the best places for you to visit is Lapland. It’s especially amazing in winter when you’ll have the opportunity to see the magical northern lights. Also, Lapland is perfect for canoers, hikers and everyone who loves exploring wildlife.

Snowy Swedish Lapland

Uppsala

Uppsala is one of the oldest Swedish cities, dating back to the 3rd century. Located about 70 kilometers from Stockholm and has always played a major role in the culture of Sweden, as well as in religion. This is the city where the largest cathedral in Scandinavia, Cathedral of Uppsala (Domkyrka), is located. Also, Uppsala is home to one of the oldest colleges in Scandinavia — Uppsala University (Universitetshuset), which was founded in 1477.

Besides the aforementioned great landmarks of Uppsala, there are more things to be seen. One of those is definitely Uppsala Castle (Uppsala Slott), which is is the official residence of the County Governor, and a place so rich with history. Also, the city is full of museums and amazing parks.

Uppsala — The View of Cathedral

We loved Sweden, and we’re sure you will, too. Pack your bags, enjoy, and let us know which was your favorite destination.